I am a Grey Warden
by Lee Totema
Summary: Talen Surana, Derek Brosca, Eren Cousland. Heroes, Paragons, Wardens. The Blight is over but that doesn't mean their jobs are. Follow them as they continue their adventures after the defeat of the Archdemon. Companion piece to Days of Our Past. Updates every 2 days. Rated T for mild swearing.
1. Talen - Enasalin

"Come on Jowan, after traveling me with all that time, you could at least learn how to walk."

"Hey you're not wearing pounds upon pounds of armor!"

"You said it was light as a feather because of your abilities!"

"Well…"

"Exactly, so no complaining." I rubbed my face as I looked out toward the distance of the beginnings of the Korcari Wilds near the ruined city of Lothering. The sky looked grey with a sort of miasma surrounding the ground. It was black and cracked, vegetation was dry, the trees graying with no leaves. I sighed. I had my work cut out for me. I felt movement on my left side and I immediately took out a small dagger and held it up to what was there.

"Wah! Talen!" Jowan shouted, my dagger on his neck. I groaned and rolled my eyes. I put my dagger away.

"What did I tell you on walking on my left side? I can't hear on that side very well." I growled.

"Sorry…" Jowan said. I shook my head and rubbed at the small nub that was my ear. The scars of the Archdemon's flames took a part of my face and some of my neck before traveling down toward half of my body. It was a price I was willing to pay to protect Leliana.

"Do you think this is going to work?" Jowan asked.

"There's only one way to know. Go and find one and then we'll see." Jowan nodded and took out his shield and mace.

The taint, the corruption that lived inside of Darkspawn that covered the earth and slowly kills everything it touches. That same taint that lives inside of me. I feel it coursing through my veins. It grew stronger when I drank that potion in Soldier's Peak. There is a sort of darkness that permeates from my blood, something I can control, that same feeling when I stand next to Jowan. He drank the potion as well. The power over darkspawn blood and the power over blood, our own and others.

Together they create a combination I cannot tell the world.

I knelt down and put my hand on the cracked, black, dry earth. I closed my eyes and concentrated. The same darkness that calls inside my blood is calling from inside this earth. There is a way to extract it. I had time to go through my theory, write it all down, and locked it away. Only Jowan knows as well because we are the only ones that we can do it.

There is power in blood but I will never use this against my fellow people. Blood magic is frowned upon in nearly every society except Tevinter. Why can't Thedas realize that by shunning and locking away magic, they close so many doors of opportunity?

Magic isn't evil. It's a gift from the Maker to be able to touch his first world, his first children. It's what I tell my apprentices back in the Circle. Is a hammer evil? Is a knife evil? Is a needle evil? No. It's a tool just like magic and, as a tool is, it could be used to help.

I heard that small whisper in the back of my head and stood up. Jowan had a darkspawn trailing right behind him. Its eyes are glossed over. Blood magic controlling minds.

Jowan is not a bad man, he is only a weak man but weakness is no excuse to have him turned into Tranquil. If only they could see like I could the strength that was inside of him.

"Here. Are you sure about this Talen?" Jowan's lines on his forehead furrowed with worry.

"Like I said, there's only one way to find out if this can work. We're the only ones that can probably do this." I said, taking out my dagger and placing it over my palm. I looked at Jowan and he nodded at me. I sank the blade into my palm. I felt the power inside it. I took out a portion and bathed the earth in it. I closed my eyes and focused on my power. The taint inside of the earth, the taint inside of my blood, intermingling.

Blight magic. I gathered it all inside the blood covered earth and raised it out. The blood lifted itself out of the ground. The ground wasn't black anymore. It was still dry and cracked but the taint was carried out of it. The blood that hovered was dark, twisting, as if I raised tar straight out of the ground. I looked at the darkspawn and I forced that black ichor inside of it.

The screams it gave out were unholy as it accepted the taint back into it. Its skin became blotchy and fell in some places, it coughed out some ichor, and Jowan raised his hand. A dark energy floated inside the darkspawn. It fell silent and fell over.

"That should keep it asleep for now." Jowan said. I nodded and looked for the well inside of me.

I remember how the Enchanters always tried to explain away magic. They put in big words and tried to make us fear it, that we couldn't control it.

They never teach the feeling of the well inside of you, that it can be as natural as breathing, the pull from the fade through your own body.

And I made it into fire to burn the body of the darkspawn.

As I watched the fire, I remembered my earliest memory of a warm body, grabbing my hands and putting them near the hearth.

'Fire doesn't only destroy. It gives life as well. Where would we be without the fire warming our home? The fire that cooks our meals? The wildfires that cleans our fields? Remember this da'len.'

"Talen…the corruption is gone!" Jowan said, feeling his hands through the dirt. It was unlike the rest of the ground. I nodded.

"Then the theory I proposed was correct. I'll make sure to send it to Weisshaupt. They might not like the whole blood magic part but we can clean the earth like this. Come on. Let's get out of here and get some rest. We'll start purifying more tomorrow." I explained heading back toward Enasalin.

"Right." Jowan nodded. "Still this is something extraordinary. Did you get the idea from the notes we were able to recover in Soldier's Peak?"

"Somewhat. I kinda thought about it on a whim while going through the notes and I noticed a correlation. If we can learn to control Blight magic, it'll be a boon to the magical community."

"I doubt they'll accept that." Jowan chuckled bitterly.

"They at least gave out my new specialized creation Surgery magic." I shrugged.

"Only to the first Enchanters in each Circle, and that's to prevent anyone from learning it."

"Tch, stupid Chantry." I mumbled.

"Are they really going to take it away from you?" Jowan asked softly. I looked down. I killed the Archdemon but no one knows the truth besides the few that remained on top of Fort Drakon. I gave up the recognition in order to make the Circle free but Eren's protection can only last so long.

Something will eventually give. I know that at least.

We neared Enasalin, the place that was promised to the Dalish after the Blight, the sun already setting as we spent most of our time in the Blighted lands.

"Welcome friends." Nerion said. The few guards were around in the forest nodded at us before continuing on their way. I was surprised when Eren gave them the land but I'm guessing that he wanted relations between the elves and his kingdom to be better than before. That is also the reason why the Arl of Denerim is an elf as well.

"Aneth era Nerion." I nodded.

"How goes your progress?" Nerion asked.

"We're still working on it." I shrugged as he led us to our encampment. Jowan got stares from everyone. Lanaya came up and nodded at him. He looked at me with a 'Please help me' look. I shrugged. The only way they accepted him is if he taught them his Arcane Warrior magic. It was theirs technically. They only lost it. Of course they're going to want to relearn it. The Knight Enchanter magic holds nothing to the real thing. "Go ahead Jowan, we'll talk later."

"Fine, fine…" Jowan mumbled following Lanaya out to her tent. Nerion left as soon as I reached my tent, handing me a few letters that found their way here. A short and courteous one from Eren, Derek talking about his farms, and one from Leliana.

Leliana…she was away in Valence right now. The Temple of Sacred Ashes did much to ease her heart after the Blight but she grew…weary. I let her go so she can find her true calling.

I know that she will come back to me eventually.

It's odd how we came together. I was only a newly harrowed mage that got kicked out of the circle because of Jowan.

Traveling with Duncan, Daveth, and Derek toward Ostagar to combat the Blight and, along the way, we found Eren. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I would find myself traveling with them. To Lothering where I found Leliana and I found Nia.

I insulted Leliana when we first met. Granted, I just got through learning that our efforts were in vain and that Loghain branded us traitors but I shouldn't have been so rude.

She was beautiful then and she was beautiful now.

Just like the Andraste's Grace that I found for her. She blooms in adversity.

But even with all the things that we've gone through, life makes us head into several different paths.

I am the Grey Warden Talen. I am a blood mage and I will do whatever it takes to make people see us differently.

* * *

 **Hello there my readers and welcome to the companion piece to Days of Our Past! Those who are new, please read Days of Our Lives to understand this! Anywho, this doesn't follow my SI from the previous stories and doesn't follow a set timeline either. It follows Talen, Derek, and Eren after the Blight and their adventures during that time. The few quests that weren't covered, Witch Hunt, Shale's personal quest, and the Golems of Amgarrak will be touched upon here! I will drop minor tidbits of extra info on Talen, Derek, and Eren after their personal chapters.**

 **Keep an eye on my deviant art in which the link for it is in my profile. I will be updating the looks of Talen, Derek, and Eren from after the Blight!**

 **Updates every 2 days instead of three!**


	2. Derek - Orzammar

The smell of fresh earth was crisp in the air along with the minor sulfur that leaked through from the lava coming down away from the garden. All in all, another great day! I yawned as I saw the farmers get to work, my red hair coming down my face.

It was odd to see your people flourish after centuries and centuries of them slowly dying out. A few farmers gave me nods and others, prayers.

It was also odd when a duster grows up to become a Grey Warden and a Paragon.

Oh mother would be turning in her grave right now, I chuckled.

"Paragon Brosca, a word if you please?" Jerrik Dace said, coming up to me as I was tending to the workers.

"Dace. Odd that you come down to the lower levels." I said gruffly. Dace's mouth became hard set. The deshyrs were still a touchy sort. The fact that the farmer's caste became their biggest coin bringer was a sore topic for most of them.

"Yes I know." Jerrik said politely. Even more sore was the fact that this duster, casteless nobody became a Grey Warden AND a Paragon! Ha! "I came here because I need your help."

"Is it about that expedition that your brother went on?" I asked.

"The very one. He and the rest of them have not given any word since they went. I need to go find him Paragon. I need your help to do this. No one can combat the Darkspawn as well as you and your Keepers." Jerrik said. I sighed. I was hoping to go home with my wife and kids but, hey, got to keep up the Grey Warden motto and kill all those darkspawn into mush.

"All right. Let me get my things and we'll set off as soon as we can." I said. Dace's face was one of relief.

"Thank you again Paragon."

"It's my job to help you nobles out isn't it? Last living Paragon and all." I bellowed out. Dace grumbled. I went off back to the home that was built for me near the farms. I went in and saw Haile, my wife, walking around with my son. My face lit with pride.

I remember when I was a duster, fumbling around for work and trying to put food on the table for Rica. That time seeing Haile was a taboo, something I couldn't do even if I tried. The first we met I was hustling a merchant for more money for Beraht. She was walking around, doing some chores for a noble. As soon as I saw her, I knew that my heart was taken.

The thing was dusters like me were looked down upon. Casteless, unwanted, to be thrown away. I had no chance with her back then but now? By the Stone, the Ancestors favored me!

"You're back so soon?" Haile asked. I chuckled and kissed her on the cheek.

"I'm going to be going out again. Not with the Keepers but with Dace. It seems like their family's expedition didn't go as planned." I said, going up to the armor stand and putting on the dragon bone armor that I got. I saw Haile's eyebrows furrow with worry. I sighed and hugged her. "Don't worry. I am Derek Brosca and I'm not dying."

"I know…I will pray to the Ancestors for your safe return." Haile said. I kissed her on the forehead.

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure the Stone will protect me." I said. I got my hammer and put it on my back. I grabbed my son and kissed his head. "I will be back. Let Leto know about the switch! I'm sure he'll do fine looking over the farms for me." I said. Haile nodded and I went out. Dace was waiting for me at the gates that led into the farms.

"Do you have any more resources we can count on?" Dace asked.

"Let's go up to the Keep in the Diamond Quarter. We'll get a few things then we'll head out toward the Deep Roads. Anyone you'll be bringing?" I asked as they crossed the Commons.

"Only Snug like usual." Dace said. I guffawed.

"Bronto rider!"

"Paragon Brosca you are trying my patience." Jerrik sighed, rubbing his face.

"Got to know me someway right!?" I laughed out loud. We got through the stairs and I went up to the Keep. The Keepers of Orzammar kept it busy. They often rotated based on how difficult the Deep Roads were. Considering we were nearing their breeding grounds, most stayed right next to the Legion of the Dead to better defend themselves. The Legion and the Keepers both fighting against the scourge and darkness to keep our city aloft.

A few of them patted on my shoulder, a few more drank to me as I passed by the Room of Memories. Engraved into the stone all those who have lost their lives fighting against the darkspawn. Fighting them was never easy and will never get easier.

I went over to the supply room and got a pack to fill with the necessities for traveling through the Deep Roads. Dry bread, jerky, plenty of water, dried fruit, and a small tankard. Jerrik followed me to the map of the Deep Roads that we were able to outline.

"All right. Where did you say was Amgarrak?" I asked. Jerrik traced the route from the Aeducan Thaig to the Ortan Thaig but further east, away from the places we've managed to secure.

"Right here. This is the road to Amgarrak. We were receiving reports as they continued on but they all stopped as soon as they got to the proposed location. I know my brother is a good warrior. He couldn't have fallen easily." Jerrik described.

"Fine. We'll have Snug take us there. If I can get a few Keepers as well-"

"I would rather keep this information away from them Paragon." Jerrik said. I stared at him and stroke my beard.

"What is it that you were hoping to find in Amgarrak?" I asked.

"I won't reveal that information unless you agree to help me." Jerrik said. I laughed out loud and slapped him on the back.

"Looks like you got a set of stones defying a Paragon! All right! It's been a while since I set off on my own. Get your things Lord Dace! It's time to move out!"

* * *

 **So the order will be Talen, Derek, and then Eren, then back again so no one will be confused. :3 Go to my deviantart that's listed in my profile to see the updated drawings of all the Wardens!**

 **Trivia: The dwarven commoner origin states that they are actually _younger_ than Rica but I always thought of them as older and I loved the older brother perspective so it stuck for me.**

 **Shout out to FearaNightmare, naturaetsophia, manosad, Chimera Spyke, Narliea, and Sovereign X22 for following!**

 **Thank you Dforce76 and Chimera Spyke for your reviews! Please Review!**


	3. Eren - Denerim

I stared at one of the nobles who was complaining about the noise the workers were causing on rebuilding the home next to him. The line of people nearly stretching to the great double doors that spanned the throne room. I absentmindedly rubbed at the scar on my left cheek that Howe gave me when I stormed through the estate. Anora was making sure she had rapt attention on him. She gave me a small smile out of the corner of my eye and I looked back to the line.

"Lord Brekker this is the fifth time you come into my hall to complain about the rebuilding. As much as an annoyance it is to you, this city will not be repaired quietly. The Blight ravaged our fair city and it will take years to completely restore her. If you find that your estate is not to your liking because of the noise, might I suggest taking a few weeks out in the country side? I hear the view from Dragon's Peak during this time is awe inspiring." I said. Lord Brekker's face grew red.

"Of course your majesty. Perhaps a bit of time off will…relax me." He huffed and stormed out of the hall. I had to repress an urge to yawn. If anyone described being king was sitting on a chair listening to complaints after complaints, I would have had second thoughts on accepting the position.

"Please clear the hall! The King and Queen will retire for the day!" The guardsmen shouted. The lords and ladies all bowed before they were escorted out. I cracked my neck and stood up. I rubbed at the stubble of my face, Anora disliking my facial hair. She chuckled.

"What?" I wondered.

"Even after all this time, you still haven't quite settled in husband." Anora said, taking my arm and leading me away to our dinner. I scowled. Marrying Anora wasn't as…difficult as I thought it would be. I allowed her to build a statue to commemorate her father. She was the only one that visits there. Besides that, she was the perfect portrait of a Queen, stern but endearing in her own way.

She never once mentioned the Landsmeet after our wedding.

I remember my travels fondly. I even get the urge to travel every once in a while but there was always something to be done here. And I have not yet received word from the scouts surveying the hut in the Korcari Wilds.

It was only once, on a cold winter night when I felt the regret the ring that Morrigan gave to me resonate. It was quick, a strike at my heart when I felt it. Then the ring sang no more.

I could only imagine what was Morrigan doing and how our child was faring. Even watching my other two children grow didn't lessen the pain from losing her.

It only made me long for her more.

Dinner was a quiet and short affair. Anora had to rush when the sitter called her to tend to our children. Alphonse and Sophia. Fraternal twins. Mother would have been proud of me.

I went back to our room and found a few personal letters. Talen, Derek, and Nia often wrote to me about what they were doing. Nia was found missing from Amaranthine. Alistair sent word to see if she was in Denerim. We eventually received a letter saying that she was in Kirkwall now.

It most likely had to do with her visions.

I sighed. That girl never learned to sit still. There was always a far off look in her eye like she wasn't there for most of the time. Looking out toward the horizon, what did you see Nia? What are you seeing?

She doesn't tell me much of anything anymore nor I to her. That look of betrayal when I announced my marriage to Anora and my ascension to the throne burns in my memory.

It had to be done. I wouldn't let the country my father fought so hard for to suffer without direction.

"Eren, you are awake?" Anora said, coming to our room. I nodded, reading through my letter. "It seems that the children have become fussy. I will be sleeping with them tonight."

"That is fine." I said. Anora nodded and went off. Anora was a respectable woman if a bit cold in her own affections. It didn't matter if I was King and she was Queen, the love I had for Morrigan would not be lost so easily.

Something grabbed my attention when I read over Talen's letter. It seems that Wynne, Shale, and he would be paying me a visit. Shale has recovered a few of her memories of an old Thaig and Talen would be coming over to pick me up.

I chuckled, running my hand through my hair and taking off my ceremonial armor. Talen wouldn't take no for an answer. Good. Spending time in the capital would only make me grow fat.

I wasn't going to let this country fall anymore father. I will protect it to the best of my ability and should she return…

I can only pray to the Maker and Andraste that they would allow me the chance to have her in my arms again.

* * *

 **Trivia: The reason why I chose male wardens only was because I thought the female wardens were too overdone. It would also present that added difficulty of not being able to choose the Warden/Alistair marriage. I chose the name Eren from Attack on Titan. Talen for the -len suffix that meant child that would present his status as the youngest Warden. Derek because I thought it sounded strong and he is very strong.**

 **Shout out to ThelonewolfNT for following!**

 **Thank you Chimera Spyke for your review! Please Review!**


	4. Talen - A Fire is Born

The memory that I saw when I closed my eyes when I first went to the Circle was of fire. The memories before that were a bit fuzzy but I remembered a warm home, warm arms, and a warm voice speaking to me, words coming together as if they were poetry.

There were warm hands that held me high, of long grass blowing in the wind, and the coldness of the creek. A small smile, holding my hands to the hearth as I looked up to see their face. Blurry, fuzzy, I can't remember how they looked like. Were their eyes brown like mine? Was their nose slightly pointed out like mine?

I remember their hair, golden like the wheat I saw swaying in the wind. A smile that only held love. My hands grew warm in the fire.

My child of the sky.

I remembered the clatters, the sound of the sword cutting through the air, the warmth of the splatter of blood on my face as the one who held my hands to the fire dropped before me.

The one with the warms hands shouting in fear and in anger, telling me to run before that same sword plunged through him.

And both of them on the floor with cold dead eyes.

I don't remember anything after that. All I remember was sitting outside, watching my home burn. The men with the sword on their armor coming up to me, the dried blood on my cheeks coming off in flecks. They took me and an old man took my blood.

I held my glowing phylactery in my hand. That was the first time I heard of magic.

"Five years of age? I am sorry for what you had to experience but you will be safe here." He said as they led me to a huge tower in the middle of Lake Calenhad.

It was cold, nothing like the fire of the hearth. The stone underneath my feet hurt compared to the wood and dirt of my home. The blankets were soft but it didn't help to stave away the cold.

I remember that I cried a lot during my first few months. The old man that first took me liked to spend time in the library. I spent it there with him as well. He showed me all sorts of heavy tomes and books and explained to me how magic was inside of all mages, of how we can wield the powers of the world itself in our hands.

He was a kind old man. I can't remember his face anymore and I never asked for his name. Sometimes I wonder if I only imagined him or if he was real.

He was the one who taught me that magic wasn't evil. It's odd that the ones that teach you the most important of lessons are the ones who depart so quickly from life.

Not a year that I spent in the Circle and he was gone.

I spent most of my time in the library. Magic fascinated me. I wanted to learn as much as I could but the books were sometimes too hard to understand. There were theories, experiments, and research that I could barely begin to scratch the surface but I wanted to know.

I sat with kids much more older than me, listening to the Enchanters drawl on and on about the dangers of magic, of demons, of how the Maker cursed us with this ability of ours.

While everyone else bowed down their head and accepted her explanation, I stood up and called her out.

"The Maker said that this was a gift that he gave to us. Why do you say it's a curse?"

They took away my dinner that night. I never stopped believing in the old man's words though. Through every old dusty tome, in every corner of the library where he sat, I sat there and remembered the lessons he taught me when I first came.

Magic isn't evil. It is a tool that can help mankind. Magic is no less evil than a hammer. It is a gift from the Maker himself.

While everyone else believed that their gift was a curse or that they need to use their gift to gain more freedom, I sat back and read my fill, trying to absorb as much knowledge as I could.

It wasn't until I was around ten years old with Jowan following behind me that I got to taste what real magic was like.

"Come on, we're going to be late!" Jowan said, as we ran through the corridors to get to the first floor. I spent too much time in the library again. We arrived late and the Enchanter chewed us out.

We had to create a flame over our hands and we were the first chosen.

Jowan fumbled with his flame, barely creating a puff of heat. Everyone laughed at him and I scowled. How dare they laugh at Jowan! When the Enchanter gave me that smug grin, expecting the same reaction from me, I felt something hot inside of me.

I remembered the warm fire of the hearth, of the smile they gave me, holding my small hands.

I held out my palm and felt the mana leaking out of me. I focused, knowing the fire, the heat, the feel, the look, the smell, and the mana reacted to it.

I held a roaring fire in my hand.

That was when they labeled me a prodigy. I didn't care. All I did was stare at the fire that held my most fondest of memories and the worst of my nightmares.

Fire can be used to hurt, to bring pain, to burn but without fire, how could we warm our homes, cook our food, gather around to fend away from the darkness?

It was all about balance, about respect, about following nature's rule of not too much and not too little.

If only the old man could see me now.

* * *

 **Trivia: They mentioned that the elf mage origin might have come from Dalish parents. I kinda worked it in that his parents were dalish at one point but separated from their clan.**

 **Shout out to Dforce76 for following!**

 **Thank you Dforce76 and Chimera Spyke for your reviews! Please Review!**


	5. Derek - A Duster is Free

As a duster, I knew I wouldn't get out of the life I had. I grew up with an alcoholic mother and a father that had disappeared when he couldn't pay the Carta back the coin he borrowed from them. Unlucky sod that one was.

Hunger, that was the one word that explained my childhood. I was always hungry. My mother of the year would waste coin after coin on the drink, never on anything I could have. I grew up scavenging what I could from the waste from the city to eat. I was a spindly thing as I was growing up.

I would bite and tear the flesh of the casteless to keep away from the food I was able to get from the higher levels. They wouldn't get my food.

It's probably why I can't remember much of my early years. My mind was only filled with how much of a sodding mother I had and food!

Then mother found a man that promised us that he would take us up to the surface. He promised us food, shelter, a home if we would go with him. My mother's belly grew with his child.

He left us before she was born.

It didn't matter because, when I was eight, I saw the person that would become my whole world.

Rica. That is her name. She had the same wild red hair as I did.

From then on I sodding took that hunger and made it into a weapon. I wouldn't let my precious jewel suffer the same fate as I did.

When I turned fourteen, I signed up for the Carta. It was light work at first, pocketing a few things, shaking down a few cowardly merchants, working with Leske and blackmailing a few poor sods. And during all that time I was training to fight for real. My muscles grew, my beard came in, and my hammer was sodding huge.

Then came the day where I killed a man. He refused to pay to the Carta. I had to strap him down to a chair and beat him until he agreed. He never did and my fist caved in his face. I came home to a blacked out mother and Rica tended to my broken knuckles. She was a tiny thing with a beautiful face and here I was, blood covered. I wanted to do everything for her though. The less burden she carried, the better.

And in the end, it didn't matter.

"What in the Stone do you mean that Beraht came here!?" I shouted. Rica was bathed with clothes befitting a deshyr from the Diamond Quarter.

"What do you think he came here to do? Your sister is as pretty as a jewel. There are plenty of nobles who would want to tap that." Kalah chuckled darkly, drinking from her bottle.

"Nobody asked you to open your mouth mother!" I yelled.

"Derek…you have always tried to do everything for me. Thank you. I know…when I looked at everyone in Dust Town, I was able to have a normal childhood because of you. I want to pay you back someday and if I have to be a noble hunter…then so be it." Rica said, standing up.

"Well, look at you being all high and mighty all because you were giving new clothes and some piss make-up." Kalah said. I glared at her before my sister cupped my face and made me face her.

"I never wanted this life for you Rica." I said softly.

"I know but I hate that you come home bloody so often if only to try to give me a good life. I think it's time I start pulling my own weight." Rica said, giving me a kiss on the cheek.

I'm man enough to admit I sobbed like a nug when she had to go toward the Diamond Quarter.

So the days continued where I shook down those who didn't paid, stole for Beraht, smuggled lyrium, and other things while my sister was busy trying to sell herself into those with caste.

Then it all changed on an assignment to rig the provings.

"Shit, what do we do? He's sodding drunk!" Leske said, the man that was supposed to win, Everd, passed out on the ground. I knelt down and saw his face. He wouldn't be waking up for a while.

"There's no other way. I'm entering the Provings." I said, taking off my armor.

"Have you lost your Stone sense?! You can't go out there! You're going to get knocked on your ass faster than we can eat a nug leg!" Leske said. I laughed at his joke.

"You want to face Beraht than be my guest. I got things to protect." I said, taking off Everd's armor and putting it on. I got his hammer and nodded at Leske. He sighed and rubbed his face.

"Then call me an addled nug. Try not to get killed out there." Leske chuckled.

I didn't. I won everything. Then Everd had to wake up and shut everything down. The deshyrs were outraged. A casteless rose up and defeated their best known fighters. So what happened?

I was sodding put in jail then taken to Beraht, that's what happened.

"You know? I blame you. It was your sodding idea to go into the Provings, your sodding idea that 'Oh I'll win and everything will be ok!' And now we didn't get even taken by the guard. Oh no, it had to be Beraht that captured us!" Leske shouted in his cell.

"Be quiet and let me think!" I yelled. I growled and hit my bars again. I had rags on and the scars from the torture that Beraht gave me were itching. I saw the jailer come back around and I slumped against the bar.

"Hey…hey! Wake up you piece of-" As soon as he got close, I grabbed him through the bars and started to choke him. He scratched at my arms, trying to get away. I snapped it without a second thought. I grabbed his body and started to go through the pockets.

"Heh, it looks like the Ancestors favor me." I said, getting the key and unlocking the cell.

"Come on hurry up!" Leske whined. I went and unlocked his door as well. I grabbed the sword from the jailer and tossed his dagger to Leske. It was a massacre that would have been written in the Memories should they decided on it.

In the end, Beraht laid dead and I knew I couldn't stay.

"You're going to go through the Deep Roads? Are you lyrium addled!? That's suicide!" Leske shouted at me as I went through one of the hidden exits.

"You got a better idea? I can't stay in Orzammar and I can't stay in the Carta." I said, tossing another boulder with a grunt.

"We can stay and rule the Carta! Beraht is dead now! All we have to do is pick up the pieces and-"

"No Leske. I'm done with this life. I'm not getting any younger. I'm done. If you want to stay and pick up the pieces, that's your decision friend. I'm going Topside." I explained. Leske gave out a shaky breath and held out his hand.

"Well…let's hope someone or something is watching over you because I'm not going to check if your corpse is getting eaten by darkspawn." Leske chuckled. I held his hand and gave it a good shake. We did a final nod and I went out.

I didn't encounter many darkspawn. I thought I was going to die in there as I traveled through the maze like Deep Roads. Then a sudden tremor happened with a faint beating within. The Ancestors must have favored me because I didn't get splattered or crushed underneath the rock slide.

Instead, I saw the light streaming in. As I climbed through the rubble, I saw the surface world for the first time.

And that was the first time I smelled freedom.

* * *

 **Trivia: That tremor that Derek felt? That was Nia coming into the world. If Nia didn't come into the Dragon Age world, Talen would have been the only one to have survived.**

 **Dforce76:** _The comics are considered canon, just change Alistair back into a Grey Warden and they still apply._

 **Thank you Chimera Spyke for your review! Please Review!**


	6. Eren - A Growing Pride

"Sit up straight Eren. Oh you got a crease here…" My mother Eleanor said, going over my clothing for the second time. We were going to a soiree held by Howe in Amaranthine. I wanted to scratch at the puffy clothing. Fergus next to me was wearing something similar. He looked at me and chuckled.

"It itches." I said.

"You'll get used to it." Fergus chuckled.

My childhood was ordinary. Aldous made my brother and I study everything we needed to know about the kingdom, about our families, and of everything we needed to learn. Mother Mallol taught us the Chant and the Chantry teachings.

I grew up in a golden age. My father and his friend Howe defeated the Orlesians and took back our country. I will not deny that I was spoiled when I was growing up. There was nothing to worry about. My father was the Teryn of Highever, a man who denied the throne, a kind man that treated many as his equal. He was generous, he was strong, and he was my hero.

Once I reached fourteen years of age, I threw myself into my training.

"Ugh!" I groaned, lying on the ground and staring at that blasted sun.

"Come on brother! Don't tell me that's all you got!" Fergus laughed. I growled and got up, getting the shield that was knocked from my hand earlier.

"Be quiet Fergus. One day I will beat you." I said, getting into my stance. Fergus laughed.

"Truly such fantasies will never become into reality!" Fergus taunted.

"Fergus stop riling your brother. Pup, give him a wallop for me." Bryce chuckled from the sidelines. I nodded and rushed my brother, bashing my shield against him. He had the advantage of size but I was smaller which meant I was a smaller target. I did a pommel strike at his face and did a low blow at his feet. Fergus grunted in pain before I slammed against him again.

He got up quickly and knocked me flat again by slamming his shield on my back. I fell face first into the ground. I coughed up a few bits of dirt. It got into my eyes as well. Fergus laughed before I wiped out the dirt from my eyes. I saw a shadow over me and I saw my father. He chuckled before patting my head.

"You will get there pup. All it takes is practice and getting up again." Bryce said. I took his outstretched hand and nodded. I got into my stance again. My body felt sore but I would never slip a chance to impress my father.

By the time I hit my late teens, that didn't matter much anymore.

After years of honing my skill with the blade and shield, my father gave me the job to go and manage the guard. They accepted me, not because I was my father's son, but because I proved myself. I fought against their lieutenants and won. I was able to hunt down a slaver's cave and save the people they were taking.

All in all, I grew popular.

As my popularity surged, I began gaining interest among the women in Highever.

The more I patrolled with the guards, the more attention I gathered from the opposite sex. As a young man with absolutely nothing to lose, I decided to wet my whistle…more than once.

Many of them were only trying to use me for my position. I would never make any promises though. Some knew their position. Of course I was careful about it. That didn't mean mother wasn't as clueless as she let on.

"Eren. May I have word with you?" Eleanor said.

"Not now mother. We have a batch of new recruits that I-ow!" I exclaimed after she didn't listen to me and grabbed me by my ear. "Mother!"

"Will you listen or will you ignore me?" Eleanor said.

"Ow! I'll listen!" I said. She let go of my ear and took me toward the balcony that overlooked the courtyard. It was beautiful in spring. On clear days you can nearly see the Waking Sea.

"I have heard some unsettling rumors about your…bed practices."

"Mother!" I said, my face flushing. She raised her hand.

"I know that you are a young man and will face your temptations. Of that I had to deal with your own brother…" Eleanor shook her head and sighed with disappointment. It nearly broke my heart. "But there are rules. I must ask you to stop meeting those women. I understand you have been helping our city by taking over the guard but this mess cannot continue. This is my warning to you as your mother. Pray that I don't come here as the wife of Bryce Cousland."

Mother left me on that balcony and sent Roland Gilmore to keep an eye on me through my rounds in the city. I was left slightly humiliated but continued my job that father gave me to keep this city safe.

I made sure that my affairs were more private from then on.

Then everything changed on one fateful day.

I was on my way to greet the new recruits when I nearly got mauled by a pack of mabaris. Their handlers were screaming that they had locked onto something. I followed them and saw a blood soaked woman wandering in the courtyard. She turned toward the mabaris before falling to the ground. I did a high pitched whistle and made them stop.

I ran toward the woman and turned her over to see her wounds. Miraculously, she had no wounds on her but there was blood all over her. Her clothes were shredded and she seemed pale. I gathered her in my arms and took her to Aldous who knew more about healing herbs as our own residential healer was absent.

My life would never be the same after that day.

* * *

 **Eren's life was pretty good wasn't it? Then he lost it all, poor Eren.**

 **Shout out to Jaffa3 for favoriting/following!**

 **Thank you ThelonewolfNT and Dforce76 for reviewing! Please Review!**


	7. Talen - Disappointment

"You want us to what?!" I exclaimed.

"You need to stop cleansing the surrounding land at once is what the First Warden ordered." Stroud said. I was in Amaranthine after the expedition where Anders had left. I came to see if I could have helped Nia with her sadness.

I didn't expect this.

"Don't you know what Jowan and I have been doing? We're cleaning the land, bringing it back! That whole land won't regain its fertility unless we do something." I explained.

"I know that but the abilities you have been using to cleanse the sight have been deemed too dangerous as well as the research you have found in Soldier's Peak. You have been order to give up all papers that you have found as well as any research you have been conducting. If you do not comply, I will be force to remove you and the Warden Jowan." Stroud glared. I looked at the battlements. Of course he would choose this area. It was still under constructing after the battle. No one comes up here.

"Can you at least tell me why?" I asked.

"Of course. The magic that you have been delving in has been noted to be extremely dangerous and unpredictable. You will pledge to the First Warden in writing that you will not use it from henceforth." Stroud explained. I stood there, gaping at him.

"But you're still taking all those notes that Jowan and I have been working on huh?" I glared.

"It will be archived along with all the previous records of the Wardens." Stroud nodded. I bit my lip and looked out to the courtyard. I recognized the glimmer of Nia's armor. No doubt she was standing at the gate waiting for Anders to come back. I gave out a deep sigh.

"Fine. I'll give you the notes and everything. It's all at Soldier's Peak so we're going to need to travel there." I said. Stroud nodded.

"I am sorry. I understand that this magic has allowed for the impossible but it is too much of a danger should another wield it. Be glad that I am not cutting you down." Stroud said, going down the stairs. I growled and let off a minor bolt of fire at the sky. I punched at the wall as well. I was doing good and yet the Wardens wanted me to stop? Aren't we supposed to do good for the people?

When the Blight ends, what happens to the Wardens? I'm not going to be like all the others getting fat and happy and gaining political power. Screw the Anderfels! I went down from the battlements and towards the room I was being lent to. I got the blank vellum and wrote out how I wouldn't be using my magic like that to help the land anymore. It felt bitter to write all of that.

I sealed it and went to look for Stroud. I came out to the courtyard and I saw Stroud talking to Nia. She had her eyes toward the ground, her skin looked pale, and her eyes were red.

It has already been a month since Anders left and she still couldn't let him go. Stroud noticed me and handed me another pack that was filled with the essentials to leave.

"We must leave now." Stroud said, going on ahead. I gave one look to Nia, remembering the events from the attack. Her golden wings, her skin that cracked with energy, her eyes that looked like the sun itself all for saving a place that she could call home.

"Nia." I said softly. She looked up at me and then back to the trail. Leliana would kill me to leave her like this but I had to go. "Stay safe." I said, patting her shoulder. I looked back only once to see her waving at me. It wasn't much but at least it was a reaction. I nodded and followed Stroud.

It took us a few days to get to Soldier's Peak. I found Jowan there and explained the situation to him.

"Stop everything? But Talen, we talked about this! This could change the world, the Wardens! If we can control the Blight then we could-"

"Be known as the biggest threats of the world." I ended. Jowan took a step back as if I struck him. "Everyone is afraid of the Blight Jowan and we figured out a way to control that blood. Don't you think that if others learned about this, they would use it for their own benefit?"

"How can we trust the other Wardens then?" Jowan asked. I shrugged.

"Well this proves that they're stupid. Let's just hope they are not that stupid." I said, going into the research room that once belonged to Avernus and taking down all the tomes we've written in and compiled all the notes.

"This is a load of bullshit." Jowan scoffed.

"I don't like it either but it's either we give them all the notes and live, or we don't, they kill us, and they take the notes anyway. Come on, help me a bit."

Jowan and I gave everything we had to Stroud. He also had to write a letter to the First Warden swearing that he would never again practice Blight Magic. Stroud left shortly after that.

"What are you going to do then? What am I going to do now that I can't stay here and research this stuff?" Jowan asked. I rubbed my face and got an idea.

"Go to the Dalish, train a few more in the Arcane Warrior magic and grow a beard, probably let your hair grow out as well, and get a tan." I explained.

"Pft! What for?" Jowan laughed.

"Well, I can't bring you in the Circle at Kinloch Hold if you look the same. Greagoir would kill you on site." I said. Jowan gaped at me.

"You…what…You want me at the Circle!?" Jowan exclaimed with an incredulous look.

"Well, we don't have Avernus' notes anymore but that doesn't mean we can't find another way to cleanse the earth from the Blight. We have tons of tomes at the Circle, things even I haven't gone through. Two heads are better than one Jowan. We'll need a disguise and a different name…" I rattled off.

"Talen…you are insane."

"I've been called that before." I laughed.

* * *

 **I hated the fact that you could never recruit Jowan even though they were planning on it.**

 **ThelonewolfNT:** _Nope that wasn't Hawke, that was Nia at the end of Eren's story :3_

 **Shout out to jaffa3, Chimera Spyke, and Dforce76 for reviewing! Please Review!**


	8. Derek - Amgarrak

"You sure this is the path that leads to Amgarrak?" I asked. There was a sort of low hanging odd mist going around the place. Snug and Jerrik were right behind.

"I'm sure Paragon, this is the way to lead us into Amgarrak. After this point my brother did not contact me again." Jerrik sighed. I patted his shoulder.

"Don't worry. We'll find him. Your brother is as tough as the Stone. Let's go!" I led our small group toward the odd mist when I heard that familiar whisper in the back of my head. Darkspawn. Out came a group of shrieks from the shadows, their measly daggers were no match for my armor. I let out a growl and punted one straight back into the darkness. Snug rammed another and slammed his horn against the last one.

"Look, the mist is shifting." Jerrik said. Sure enough, the mist moved to open another path.

"I have a feeling whatever is down here, it's trying to lead us to it." I reasoned.

"That is not a good thing." Jerrik said.

"It never is." I said. We followed the path the mist was leading us through. We found a steel golem in the middle of two statues of paragons.

"A golem?" I wondered.

"This looks like one of Caradin's golems…but it seems to be modified. If this is here, then I know we are getting closer to Amgarrak. Those that were in Amgarrak must have experimented on these existing golems. Maybe they were able to find the secret to building them." Jerrik described.

"Let's see if the Ancestors saved their records then." I said.

"Do you think we'll be able to find the control rod to this one?" Jerrik asked.

"One way to find out." I said, getting out of the small cavern. When I noticed, the mist shifted again. Jerrik and I gave each other a glance before continuing on. I saw something in the distance before we were ambushed by more shrieks. I slammed into one with my hammer. The other two got on top of snug before he started to buck. They dropped down before Jerrik came up and slashed their throats with his daggers.

The last one tried dragging itself away before I smashed in its chest cavity with my hammer. It splooshed. I chuckled.

"Ah nothing like squishing the life out of darkspawn." I said. I went forward near the fires and saw a control rod on the table. It was almost as if someone had placed it there to find it.

"Is that the control rod for the golem? Let's go see if it works." Jerrik asked. We went back through the path and went to the golem that was standing there. I took the control rod and tapped it on the golem. It came to life.

"Well slap my arse and call me Sally! It works!" I laughed.

"Good, this will help us." Jerrik said. We came out and the last path opened. As we went through the carved hallway, I sense darkspawn and shrieks came running toward us. I heard a thump in the air and their glowed blue and disappeared.

"What the sod was that?" I wondered, that tingling feeling in the back of my head still there but I couldn't see any darkspawn around us.

"What was that? Where did they go Paragon?" Jerrik asked. I shrugged my shoulders.

"Can't give you an answer there. I saw them for a split second and I can still feel them but they're not here. Ah those blighted creatures can get themselves killed, let's go." I said, leading the way. We went through the carved hall before I saw someone running, another thump going out, more blue.

"I'm not sure what we're seeing and it's making me feel uncomfortable." Jerrik said.

"Ah I knew I should've sent a letter to Talen. That priss would know more about this magic hooey." We continued on and I heard the skittering of a deepstalker. I took out my hammer but the small group just ran away from everything.

"The deepstalkers are running away. This bodes ill." Jerrik said.

"Don't be getting cold feet Dace. We've only just begun." I chuckled. We went and continued toward Amgarrak before I saw a veil tear. An arcane horror and a revenant were standing together. I smirked darkly.

"About time we had some fun around here!" I shouted. I felt the revenants pulled and allowed it to do so. It brought me to them. I whammed my hammer on the side of the head of the revenant. The Arcane horror tried to fling a spirit spell but it only tickled thanks to the added enchantments of my armor. I did a mighty swing and threw it from the platform. It landed near the rest. I stood a blow from the revenant and did a pommel strike on its chest.

I swung my hammer against and got it on the side. It staggered but I was unrelenting, going blow for blow against the demon. Then I slammed the head of the hammer on its legs, causing it to go down. I smashed its face and I saw the Arcane Horror was dealt with on the ground. After they were both done for the count, I felt something brush past me. The tear in the veil was gone.

"Did you feel that? It was like something brushing past me." Jerrik said.

"Something is messing with something they shouldn't be messing with." I growled. I started to get that gut feeling again. There was something wrong in Amgarrak but I didn't know what. I started to regret not bringing in the priss. He would probably know what was going on.

There was no time to go back. We are here and I can't abandon Brogan.

Time to nut up or shut up.

* * *

 **You gotta love Derek and his attitude!**

 **Shout out to Alexeij for following! Thank you ThelonewolfNT for reviewing! Please Review!**


	9. Eren - Another Adventure

I was out in the kennels again. I saw Alfred jumping up and down with the handlers. Anora can deal with the nobles by herself. I needed a rest. Alfred came up to me, barking and wagging his butt. I laughed and scratched him behind his ear, his back leg thumping in pleasure.

"Um your majesty?" A guard came up and saluted me. I nodded. "T-There is someone at the gates for you! They, uh, are accompanied by, um, the Archmage Wynne, your majesty!" I raised my eyebrow.

"What do you say boy? Want to go see why Wynne is visiting me?" I asked. Alfred jumped around and barked. Then he launched himself over the gate and wagged his butt. I patted him on the head and his tongue came lagging out. We walked the long way around to avoid the throne room. I went over to the gates and heard raised voices.

"I'm sorry sir but I can't-"

"To the sodding void with that! We need his help so you better get him or so help me I'll-!"

"Talen will you calm down? You are only making things worse."

"I agree with the Elder mage, Fire mage. The flapping of it's tongue is starting to aggravate me."

"Um please keep your…thing calm."

"What did you say to me!?"

I turned and looked at the gate. The same guard that stopped Nia has stopped Talen, Wynne, and Shale at the gates. Talen looked furious. Wynne was exasperated and Shale looked like it wanted to crush the guard's head. Alfred barked and ran toward them.

"Hey Eren, I think you need to sack this guy! He didn't recognize me!" Talen shouted as I walked to the group.

"Talen he was merely doing his job at keeping the peace." Wynne said sternly.

"Ser Riley was it?" I said.

"Er yes your majesty?" He said. I pointed at Talen.

"He's one of the Defenders of Denerim, Talen Surana." I said. The man's face blanched. Talen smirked while Wynne sighed and shook her head.

"You two have yet to grow I see." Wynne said. Alfred barked.

"Keep away mongrel or I will squish you. Do not even attempt to raise your leg." Shale growled. Alfred whined. I laughed.

"It is good to see you all. Is there something I can help you with?" I asked.

"Shale has recovered a few of her memories in our travels. A thaig that she remembered may have more information." Wynne explained.

"The elder mage's recounted the tale of the Anvil of the Void. It seems this item was instrumental in my past." Shale nodded.

"So? What are you waiting for? Get your armor. We'll be leaving." Talen said, crossing his arms.

"He is the King. You do not order the King, Talen." Wynne shook her head.

"Ok. _Please_ get your armor, we're going to go." Talen said. I laughed and slapped his shoulder.

"Of course Talen. Please, come in. You can wait while I get ready."

"Are you sure about this Eren? It will take some time to get there and more to even search for the Thaig." Wynne said as I led them into the throne room.

"It will be a welcome reprieve." I chuckled. I saw Anora and nodded at her before leading them into the guest rooms. I walked over to where the children were. They were both sleeping. I smiled and patted their heads. I walked over to my bedroom and opened to where the armor stands were.

I had a brief memory of Nia's scowling face when my mother first assigned her to me. How I constantly shoved work on her. How I made her shined all the armors in the armor room back in Highever.

It was an odd feeling, setting out without her at my back. I can almost hear her berating me for leaving Anora alone with the children.

'Don't you realize how hard it is to raise children by yourself? Especially two of them!?' She would shout at me. I would ruffle her hair and tell her not to worry about it.

That relationship has ended though. We had both gone our separate ways. She bought a mansion in Kirkwall and tells me of her adventures helping those in need, going to out to stop bandits and slavers, finding new friends.

Nia has moved on and so have I.

The Eren Cousland that lived in Highever died with his family in the massacre.

I am King.

I put on my armor that I commissioned from Herren and Wade. It was sturdy and form fitting, perfect for my shield and sword. It doesn't matter if it's three years or ten years from now. I will carry my family's sword and shield wherever I go.

I got out and went back into the guest rooms. Talen gave me a smirk. Wynne nodded and Shale sighed.

"Must they have these dramatic silences? It boggles the mind how Grey Wardens act." Shale sighed.

"Leave the boys be Shale." Wynne chuckled.

"What are we waiting for!? Let's go!" Talen laughed. I shook my head.

"Lead the way Talen."

* * *

 **Sorry I haven't been updating lately. I didn't have many back up chapters for this but its almost ending anyway so thank you everyone that has stuck by this story!**

 **Shout out to Shattered Soul 2021 for following/favoriting!**

 **Thank you Chimera Spyke, WardenMahariel, and Dforce76 for reviewing! Please Review!**


	10. Talen - Cadash Thaig

"It is lost." Shale stated.

"I'm not lost! Besides, weren't you the one that said that thaig should have been around here?!" I shouted. Eren laughed and I pouted.

"I told you we should have taken the path from Orzammar." Wynne said.

"I believe the elder mage has proved its point." Shale said.

"You guys suck." I pouted. We were combing near the Frostback mountains, looking for the thaig Shale described. From a few reports that Leliana gave me, they had found an opening to the Deep Roads somewhere around here. Not only did I have a duty to find the Deep Roads, it coincided with Shale's information. Eren was happily trudging along. From his letters, he was dying from boredom and annoyance in the capital. It was only a favor to do for a friend.

There was a far off look in his eye. I had no doubt that he was thinking of Morrigan. Say what you'd like about the woman, it was clear what they had was love. It was the same look I had whenever I remembered Leliana. She had her own purpose in life though.

"We should continue the search later. I believe it might start to rain anytime soon." Wynne said, looking at the over cast sky.

"It should stop embarrassing itself lest it finds itself in a storm." Shale chuckled.

"Shut it! I'm not lost! I'm-gah!" The earth crumbled underneath me and I fell along with the gravel. For a second, I didn't know what was up or down until I hit hard ground. I groaned and sat up. In front of me was Deep Roads covered in green. I did a quick healing spell and shouted in happiness. "Hah! I told you I wasn't lost!"

"And so it triumphs while covered in gravel…" Shale sighed, coming down with Wynne and Eren holding onto her.

"You're just jealous because I found it first!" I shouted before hearing those little whispers in my head. We looked ahead and in came a horde of darkspawn. I felt that giddiness work up. I haven't had a good fight in a while.

"Shale with me!" Eren shouted, running toward the horde. I ran with them, taking out my staff and doing a small fireball. Those that resisted got pummeled in the face by Shale or got struck down by Eren's sword. I saw a few levitating boulders that crushed the Genlocks that were rushing toward us.

"Score one for the Wardens!" I shouted.

"It has been writing too many letters to the spirit." Shale groaned.

"Nia rubs off on me too much. I can't help it." I shrugged. Eren chuckled.

"You two do write to each other quite often from what she tells me." Eren said, flicking off the blood from his blade.

"Leliana and I keep up with her the most from what she writes to me." I explained. "She tells me everything that's happening in Kirkwall and, from what Leliana tells me as well, it's not all that pretty." I grumbled. We passed through the entrance and I took a breath in awe. There were several parts where the Deep Roads caved in, allowing sunlight to filter in as well as vegetation.

"I never stop feeling the awe from seeing the Deep Roads." Wynne sighed.

"Of course sweep away the corpses and ignore the ruins for it to be something worth seeing…" Shale mumbled.

"You really don't know how to appreciate the beauty of nature do you Shale?" Wynne rolled her eyes.

"The beauty of nature can be and will be crushed underfoot. Oh look! A flower! How weak its petals are beneath my solid stone foot! Let me weep silent tears for its unnatural death!"

"Ok we get it Shale." I laughed as we continued on through the Thaig. "Are you remembering anything yet?"

"Absolutely nothing." Shale sated.

"Perfect." I rolled my eyes. We followed the ruins and we found another group of darkspawn in wait, an emissary waiting right behind. I followed through with a fireball and did a protection barrier around Eren as he rushed them. I went in as well, using my staff as it was supposed to, the blade stabbing and slashing the darkspawn that surrounded us.

The emissary become crushed in between Shale's fists before two Genlocks caught her in between them. I did a fireball at one of them before Eren tackled it and rammed his sword through the mouth. Wynne's hands crackled and she let out a lighting spell that arced between all the darkspawn. Everyone came back together and I let out a final fireball that ended the group.

"We'll need to be careful. There are several more groups ahead." Eren said.

"There is no shortage of these corrupted filth in the Deep Roads." Shale scoffed.

"Darkspawn, Deep Roads, fireballs to the face? Ah, memories." I laughed.

"What exactly are you remembering Talen?" Wynne chuckled.

"Good times!" I laughed.

"Ugh the fire mage is getting on my nerves. Can I squish him?"

"No Shale, you can't squish Talen. Besides, he'll probably burn off those crystals you managed to collect." Wynne said.

"The gall!"

* * *

 **I had fun writing Shale :3 too bad she came in so late in my other story. Oh so I entered a fanfiction writing contest on inkitt . com. I submitted Days of Our Lives. You can go and vote on it I would really appreciate it!**

 **Thank you Chimera Spyke for reviewing! Please Review!**


	11. Derek - The Harvester

"This…this wasn't supposed to happen." I grieved, looking over the notes in the Amgarrak Thaig. I looked at Brogan that was constantly looking around for enemies and Jerrik whose face was unreadable.

The notes of the experiment were in my hand. There was a mage here who tried to help the dwarves in Amgarrak recreate the Anvil of the Void. They decided to use the corpses of the Casteless, calling it a 'privilege' to recreate a golem. They substituted flesh for steel and rock, bonding it to a spirit from the fade.

They created a monster. The Harvester escaped, killing those that were alive one by one. In a last effort to trap it, they used the lyrium wells to create several levels of the fade to trap it.

"Paragon those notes contain valuable information. We need to take it to Orzammar and let the Shapers-" Jerrik started before I growled and turned to him, slapping my palm down on the notes.

"And do what Jerrik? Our people are thriving now with the Keepers! I wanted the sodding Anvil as much as the next dwarf but this!? This is exactly why the surfacers fear Blood Mages! Look what it did to the researcher! To the dwarves that worked alongside him! This is madness!" I shouted at him. His brother Brogan was looking around deliriously. The golem was stock still next to Snug, various scars on his hide from fighting Darkspawn. Jerrik's jaw was set as he gulped down.

"Brother, nothing…nothing should get out…" Brogan whispered, looking at things that shouldn't be there.

"…You're right Paragon. This place should not be found." Jerrik nodded his head grimly. I nodded before throwing the notes into the lava.

"Now let's go end this." I picked up my hammer and flicked the last switch. I saw another change to our surroundings. We went into the last chamber and I saw the last barrier fall. It was time to find this Harvester and make sure it didn't make it to the surface. We crossed the small bridge until we made it into the forge. I saw that sick, twisted, small monstrosity attach itself to a body made of various bodies.

It was large, sickly, and something that was not supposed to exist. A flesh golem made of several bodies with a demon controlling it at the head. It roared at us and the steel golem was the first to go and attack it.

"Don't focus too much on its body! It only protects the head!" I shouted as we ran to rid the monster entirely. I ran, getting my hammer and doing a mighty blow on its leg. It roared as it swiped at the ground and I rolled to get out of the way. The golem's fist blasting into it with his lightning advantage. Then the air shifted as we were kicked out of the fade level.

"The lightning is doing no damage!" Jerrik shouted as he and Brogan took to the Harvester's back. The Harvester hit the golem square in its chest and flung it across the forge. Snug went ahead and did a charge against it. The Harvester grabbed it by the horn but couldn't pick it up. I took that opportunity and smashed it against the back but I was thrown back as it twirled around with Snug.

Brogan, Jerrik, and I tried to evade its throw of Snug, the golem getting back up and knocking into it. The air shifted and its hide grew stronger.

"Steel does nothing! Steel does nothing!" Brogan shouted as his sword couldn't penetrate the Harvester's flesh. Then it reached into its unnatural stomach and started to pull out the corpses from its body.

"Undead!" Jerrik threw one of the undead over its head as more corpses joined the fight. I grunted as I smashed the head of one, two more run over by Snug as the golem ripped into the Harvester with its lightning fists. I went ahead after fighting the corpses and started to slam all parts to get it down. The body was slowly being ripped apart by all four of us until the main head decided to abandon it.

It growled with its tongue hanging out. It skittered across the forge, jumping, and evading everything we tried to do to stop it until the golem used its lighting to paralyze it. We all jumped on it. I got rid of its many legs, Snug rammed it and flung it across the room. It growled, accessing the fade at various times, jumping around, but it was getting weaker each and every time we cornered it. Its jumping started to launch a chain reaction. The earth started to crumble around us and we were dodging falling rocks as well.

I grabbed it by its tail. I had enough of this. It growled at me, trying to rip into my armor. I shouted in rage as I swung it and threw it into the lava. Its screams resonated in the Thaig. It was too late. The Thaig was shaking as more and more boulders started to come down.

"The Thaig is collapsing!" Jerrik shouted. Snug came and we rode him out of the forge. The Steel golem tried to follow but was crushed by another boulder. We all got out of there, barely.

"And it's done." I nodded as I saw the entrance. We got off Snug and Jerrik gave out a deep sigh.

"It's all gone. Everything, the notes, what we found…we lost everything." Jerrik rubbed his face before his brother patted him on the shoulder.

"Not everything brother. We are still alive." Brogan smiled. I let out a loud laugh.

"He's right about that…I'll make sure this thing gets properly sealed later. Come, Orzammar awaits!" I laughed. Snug got down to carry Brogan and Jerrik walked beside him. I was able to follow before I thought I heard that same growl behind me. I looked back but I didn't see anything. I'll make sure to add Harvesters on the things I will need to look out for in the Deep Roads.

One can never be too careful.

* * *

 **Derek is so manly! Finally got this done. We are nearing the end people!**

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	12. Eren - Witch Hunt

"I can't believe it…I was a squishy, vulnerable thing?" Shale said as she read the plaque. Talen was off getting healed by Wynne as we took a breather after being assaulted by Shrieks and an Ogre.

"Hard to believe isn't it? But from what we talked to Caridin, golems are created by taking people and turning their bodies into stone or steel." Talen described.

"I'm sorry we didn't find you sooner Shale. I believe you would have many questions answered if you had met him." Wynne said. I was wiping my sword down and cleaning off the darkspawn blood.

"Perhaps but that is a chance I will never get back. Although it is hard to believe I was once of flesh, that does not change what I am now…" Shale seemed pensive.

"That can change. We've only scratched the surface on magic. Maybe there's a way to make you dwarven again." Talen suggested, getting up and scowling at his robes that were in tatters again.

"Me? Turn into another fleshy being? Is that even possible?" Shale asked.

"With time, patience, and plenty of research there are ways to reach it." Wynne nodded. Shale hummed.

"I shall think of this further. It would be best if it led us out of the Deep Roads now." Shale said. I nodded before we took the way out again. Wynne had to use her magic to make the earth stable as we got out. Shale was oddly quiet throughout.

"You think you would be able to regain a body for Shale?" I asked as we rested for the night.

"I'm not sure but Wynne seems to think so though I'm going to leave that to her. I think it's time for me to head back to the Circle. I've been away from my class for too long. Maybe I might visit Leliana later on too. I need to ask her something." Talen yawned and rolled over on his bedroll. Shale and Wynne were talking quietly away from camp.

I stared into the fire. I was envious of Leliana and Talen. They had something I could never have. I still wore the ring Morrigan gave me.

Once we woke up everyone went their separate ways once again. Shale and Wynne decided to travel to the College of Magi to see if they could find anything that would give Shale a normal life. Talen accompanied me back to Denerim to see me off.

"Try not to get into too much trouble without me." Talen chuckled.

"There isn't much to be had in the capital." I chuckled, heading toward the throne room.

"Eren." I looked back at Talen. It seemed that the years were finally catching up to him. He was such a young boy when I first met him. The burns on the left side of his face were starting to fade. "Don't be a stranger. Don't forget that we're still there for you." I gave him a smirk and ruffled his hair. "Hey!"

"Don't be so melancholy Talen." I went back into the palace. Anora was reading to the children. She saw me and smiled. She was a kind woman when you got to know her. Months passed without incident and I settled into a comfortable routine.

Until one day one of my scouts came back with a report from the Korcari Wilds.

"Are you sure you saw someone near the cabin?" I paced in front of the fireplace to a secluded room in the palace. I didn't want to get my hopes up. The scout saluted and nodded.

"I am sure your highness. We came to deliver the report as soon as we saw someone heading toward it."

I couldn't believe it. This could be my link to find her once and for all. I sent out the scout again. No one must know of this. I knew what must be done. I go and put on my armor, grabbed my sword and shield of Highever. My brother didn't allow me to give it back to him. I went into the children's room. They were both sleeping. Alphonse and Sophia. I was better that I go now. Anora is a strong woman, the country will not falter with her.

I go to the kennels and saw Alfred. His tongue lopped to the side as I rubbed his face. I let him out and gave him a treat.

"It's time to go Alfred." I nodded. He barked enthusiastically and I made my way out of the capital quietly. I knew the roads and the travel alongside them but not on them. No doubt that Anora would be searching for me. We swiftly headed toward the Korcari Wilds and I took the path toward the hut.

It was odd seeing it after all these years. So many things have changed since I first came here. Meeting Morrigan in the Woods, meeting Flemeth, the battle of Ostagar, traveling to stop the Blight, and ending with me as King. Alfred barked and I crouched down next to him.

"It's been a while since we've been here." I stated. Alfred panted happily. "Do you think we'll find her boy?"

He barked and ran around the swamp, avoiding the water. He came up to me and licked my outstretched hand. I rubbed his face. The sun hit the ring and I fidgeted with it. I wonder if she can feel what I was feeling.

There was no point in thinking that way anymore. I had a way to find her now. This is what I've been waiting for. I wasn't going to lose this chance.

* * *

 **Only 3 more chapters to go!**

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	13. Talen - A Vow is Made

"Do you understand my decision, Senior Enchanter Talen Surana?"

I looked up briefly at Divine Victoria. The Circle of Kinloch Hold has finally surrendered to the Chantry once more. The only good thing was that all the changes that I had made stayed. I looked in my peripheral vision. Leliana was off to the side and a woman by the name of Cassandra Pentaghast was on the other side.

"I understand your perfection and I will abide by your decision." I said. First Enchanter Irving sighed next to me. He had already agreed.

"Very well then. The Circle of Kinloch Hold is under Chantry control once again." Divine Victoria said. The guards led us away into a nice room with a balcony overlooking Val Royeaux. Irving excused himself to go see if he could buy something from the bazaar. I leaned against the railing, looking at the city with resignation. I knew we wouldn't be able to be free but it was nice while it lasted. I heard light footsteps behind me.

"I'm sorry." Leliana fidgeted with her gloves.

"No, don't be. I knew this would happen. Eren isn't in the capital anymore and he can't protect us. The only good thing is that the Circle made changes and those changes are still continuing. As long as mages are recognized as people, then I'm fine with the Divine's choice." I said. Leliana gave me a soft smile. I stared at her as often as I could. "Marry me." She gaped at me.

"…What!?" Leliana gasped out, her face becoming as red as her hair.

"I don't think I would get this chance again. You're now the Left Hand of the Divine. I don't know when we'll have another quiet moment like this so marry me." I asked again. Leliana bit her lip.

"Talen…mages can't get married and I…I took my vows. I'm a Sister now. I can't…" Leliana's eyes grew misty.

"Then that means all I have to do is become a Brother right? That way we can at least be married still, chaste but married anyway." I stepped closer to her.

"Talen mages can't be sworn in." Leliana's face betrayed her. As much as her job allowed her to be a cool mask, that mask dropped when she was around me.

"So? Tell the Divine if she wants a mage for an agent. I wouldn't mind working for her if I get to be with you." I said seriously. Leliana chuckled. It always sounded like soothing bells to me. I took her hand and she rested her forehead against mine. We were the same height now unlike how I was when I was younger.

"Couldn't you have at least asked romantically?" Leliana chuckled softly.

"Should I have had a room with candles and some roses? Have a quartet in the background? The stars and moons illuminating the night sky as I got down on one knee to propose? I think that would have given me away." I smirked. Leliana laughed.

"You're hopeless." Her blue eyes reminded me of the sky. It's the reason why I looked at it. I never noticed the blue sky until I saw it reflected in those beautiful orbs.

"Slightly." I reached into my pocket and got the ring. "Sandal enchanted this for me. It can make a small barrier for a short time when you get attacked." I explained.

"How long have you had this for?" Leliana wondered.

"A few years now. You were always off some place or somewhere. I could never find the right time but…when will it be the right time? I have been waiting and waiting but I can't anymore. I love you Leliana and I have been in love with you Orzammar when we talked the night away." My brown eyes met her blue ones. She blushed. She was so beautiful, no painting could ever compare to her. She tentatively gave me her hand. I took off her glove slowly before putting the ring on her hand. It fit perfectly just like I thought it would.

It's these hands that I only want to hold. It's these eyes I was to lose myself in. It's her life I want to share with until the end of my journey.

And it's her lips I only want to share with my own.

We parted and she rested her head on my shoulder and I drew her close to me.

"Is that yes?" I wondered. She laughed.

"Yes silly!" She grabbed my face and kissed me. My face grew red and I hid my smile. "Oh are you smiling?"

"That-"

"You are aren't you!? Let me see!" I caught her hands when he tried to see.

"Leliana!"

"Oh we have to do so much planning! The dress, the food, the shoes! Oh I have this perfect place in mind! We should only invite close friends, maybe a winter wedding would be best! Oh the snow would look so beautiful! Or maybe in the spring-"

I gave her another kiss to shut her up. She giggled as I twirled her around.

"You need to get me a ring too." I mumbled into her neck. She giggled and ran her hand through my hair, stopping at my burn scars and the ear that I lost.

"I will, one that can protect you when I'm not there." She kissed my burn scars. I smiled and she laughed.

Until my journey ends, until the Calling takes me, I will stand by her side.

It's the only place that will ever feel like home.

* * *

 **And that is the end of Talen's story...for now at least. I have plans for him! Sniff! TT^TT**

 **Thank you Chimera Spyke and Dforce76 for reviewing! Please Review!**


	14. Derek - The Battle That Rages

"All right listen up you sodding pieces of nug shit, these are the paths that must be blocked! Gather your barrels of explosives and place them on the targets where they are on the map! Legion, protect the Keepers from the darkspawn at all costs! If we are to save this point, then we got to give it all! Move out!" I shouted and they shouted back to me. I went back to the board and looked over the map again.

"Not a bad speech Paragon." I looked back as Shaper Valta came into my tent.

"Shaper." I nodded. "Don't worry, we'll break through their lines soon and you can go ahead and try to get the information from Bownammar."

"Well it's not like we're on a deadline. We don't have a Blight on the surface not that the darkspawn care. I'm surprised you came back. Everyone has said you settled down on the farms, Paragon Brosca." Valta said, coming up beside me and placing a few map points when the scouts came back to report.

"It was nice for a while. The missus didn't really agree but I got to save face. Not only that, going to Amgarrak a few years back really opened by eyes as to what I have to do. A Grey Warden's work is never finished. My friends might have continued their lives on the surface but we are the one doing the heavy lifting. We're the only ones making sure these rotting bronco riders don't get a straight shot to the surface. While everyone topside is worrying about what color matches which, we stay and get our hands dirty and kill these sorry pieces of rot." I heard someone laughing behind me.

"Now that's what I like to hear!"

"Renn! You thunder humper!" I slapped his back. We both gave each other a side hug while he came by me to look at the map.

"You think we'll find anything here?" Renn asked.

"Not sure. I went through here years ago. I didn't get the time to smell the corpses since we were looking for Branka. If there's anything here that can pique the interest of the Shapers, we have a chance." I nodded. Valta sighed and Renn looked uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry about what happened Valta." Renn said.

"No it's fine." She nodded.

"Ah Bhelen lost a good one. It's his loss. What you did? It was honorable. Stupid considering how the Deshyrs think, but honorable and you're with the best of us." I laughed.

"Paragon, the explosives are set." The scout said. I started to hear that same whispers in the back of my head. I got my maul and put on my helmet.

"Tell the men to get ready. It seems another wave is coming, big one too. Get ready for some shield Genlocks and maybe an ogre or two." I described.

"An Ogre!?" Valta gave me an incredulous look.

"An Ogre. Get ready shaper. We aren't in the city anymore…" I closed my eyes and remembered the day before I set out.

"Derek I understand that you want to leave because of the growing problem but what about managing the farms!? What about your kids? What about me…?" Haile bit her lip. I sighed. I was getting on in years. My children were growing before my eyes and my wife couldn't be any lovelier. Still, what happened years before in the Amgarrak Thaig changed me.

I was a Grey Warden before anything else. The water was starting to get low. We had to find another source and fast. I had to help my people. The Stone brought me back. The best thing I could do for it was to repay it in kind by getting rid of those Darkspawn.

"You know what I am Haile. This is my home and it will always be my home. I need to protect it. I need to protect you. I heard that a Shaper was sent out to the Deep Roads to recover some artifacts of some sort. I'll be heading out with the Keepers and the Legion. We've made good progress to get back Bownammar." I explained. Haile wiped her eyes and I held her close.

"Then I'll pray to the Stone to keep you safe…just remember to come back. I would hate to tell the children that you died a hero when I wanted a husband, a father." She whispered. I made sure to memorize her face, her smell, her body. I didn't know when I was going to back and I didn't want to forget her though I know at this point I won't.

Born a Duster only to become one of the most memorable Paragons that has even pushed Branka out of memory. Life was good but in order to pass on this life to the next generation, I have to make sure that it's safe.

"Ogre coming up!" The cries of battle were raging, blood saturated my beard and I heard the heavy stomps of an Ogre coming up to our group.

"Archers!" I shouted. A few hit the Hurlocks that covered the Ogre. It batted away its brethren and stood before me. I whacked a shriek away as I stared down the humongous monster five times my size. It growled and roared, spittle dropping to the ground.

I laughed darkly and remembered my wife and kids. I ran, dodging its fists before slidding in between its legs. I used the momentum and swung hard onto the back of its knee. A resounding crack filled my ears as it knelt down.

"Now!" The others rushed at it, chopping, slicing, stabbing. The Ogre had to chance against our numbers and lied dead on the floor. "Set off the charges! The hall is clear!"

The sounds of booms filled the caverns and we moved the dead darkspawn bodies over to one side to burn them. The Legion and the Keepers both took a breather. I sat back, cracking my back in the process.

"You feeling the years old man?" Renn said, passing me a mug of ale and sitting next to me.

"I'm not like you youngin's that can keep up with the best of them but I got a good head on my shoulders at least." I guffawed.

My work will never be done in my generations or maybe my son's generation or my grandson's generation. It could be that the darkspawn will be here to stay indefinitely.

But maybe I can achieve a peace where my son won't worry to look behind him, where I can come home to a warm smile, a warm hug.

A dwarf can't dream but I'll be damned if I can't make one come true.

* * *

 **And so ends Derek's journey...for now. He's coming back in DAI as you all can see.**

 **Thank you Dforce76, Chimera Spyke, and ThelonewolfNT for reviewing! Please Review!**


	15. Eren - Home

"It's spitting its poison! Duck!" Ariane shouted as we dodged the Varterral's attack once more. The ground was littered with pools of venom, burning the vegetation slowly. The Varterral's legs were stomping where Alfred was attempting to nip at its underbelly. Finn was concentrating on his firestorm spell while we tried to keep it busy.

Ariane jumped at it before it swung its leg in a mighty show of swiftness. It caught her dead in the chest and she was sent skidding. I shouted a battle cry before I launched and stabbed my sword into its gut. It cried out before kicking me as well. Alfred managed to snag back my sword and gave it to me before we had to get out its landing area.

We were all tired from our travels and the Varterral was not giving in anyway. I panted, feeling the exhaustion in my bones.

Then Finn let out a cry as the sigil underneath was complete. I saw massive flaming rocks aimed at the Varterral. It looked up for a second before being pelted by the flaming rocks. It screamed in pain before being buried. Ariane got near us, limping and holding her gut. Finn gave her a potion, his magic already run out.

"It seems we can continue." Ariane threw the potion bottle and shattered it on the ground. "Well, it looks like you might have a smudge on your robes." She chuckled. Finn looked at the bottom was near eaten away by the venom.

"Ah they're just robes." Finn chuckled.

"A far cry from the mage that I met in the Circle that fainted by a few droplets of blood." Ariane teased, poking his chest.

"Considering all we lived through, I would say that messy robes are the least of my worries. Maybe leather might work better?" Finn wondered. Ariane laughed.

"Why don't you stop flirting so we can get on with it?" I said. They both grew two shades of red before Alfred barked and followed me. We left the Dragonbone Wastes and entered Drake's Fall. From what Talen had encountered, there used to be a great Tevinter Ruin here though he doesn't know what it was used for. We went through the ruins before going down the last set of stairs.

Alfred ran ahead, barking excitedly. There was one lone figure in front of a massive mirror. My heart wrenched painfully in my chest.

"Morrigan." I breathed out. She stood up fully. Alfred's tongue lagging out as she petted him.

"Tis been a while…Grey Warden." Morrigan said softly. I frowned when she didn't say my name.

"Thief! Where is the tome!?" Ariane shouted.

"Tis not far. I had made a camp right outside the Dragonbone Wastes, past the Pilgrim's Path onward toward Denerim, near a cave that glows with raw lyrium. Tis not hard to find. You will find the tome there. I have no use for it anymore." Morrigan said softly. Ariane looked at me confused.

"Morrigan. I have spent the last few years searching for you." I stated.

"I know. I apologize that I needed to steal from your people but I needed it to activate this eluvian. Tis of old forgotten magic. I had to use this to get away from mother. She was not what she said and I do believe that she was not human either but she is not a demon. I do not know what she is. I suspect you have questions. Go on and ask. I shall answer to the best of my ability." Morrigan said. I shook my head.

"I don't need answers Morrigan." I walked up to where she was. "All this time I have spent making sure that this country would one day not need me so that I may go on my search to find you. I spent days, years, hoping and praying for a sign that I might find you again and here you are."

"You…" Morrigan chuckled softly. "And you said that love was a foolish sentiment."

"It was, it still is and I'm a fool for believing so…but you made me that fool Morrigan." I said, my voice deep with emotion.

"You do not even know what I am planning o-of what I will do in the future." Morrigan's brows furrowed. It was amazing how much emotion she never showed others but could easily break when around me. It was one of the things that made me feel special.

"I don't care. I love you Morrigan and I wish to remain with you, here or anywhere. As long as I remain with you, then you can whisk me away to where you deem fit." I stood in front of her. It was her body that attracted me to her but it was her mind that made me stay. Those golden eyes that pierced with an icy glare and yet can look so warm.

I had lost my home when I found her and though to seek it in another but that was not the right choice. Nia reminded me too much of the past and my feelings shifted to this rare wildflower that I began to see in a new light.

Morrigan was my home and no one could replace that.

All the nightmares, all the haunted visions, everything that has plagued me has vanished now that I have seen her again.

"Then let us be off my love. This mirror will only work this one time. Tis time to meet our son." Morrigan said softly as I took her hand in my own. The lump in my throat grew as I said the words.

"Our son." My voice broke and her eyes grew misty as well. I kissed those soft lips of hers and Alfred barked once more.

"Eren…" I looked back at Finn and Ariane. I nodded at them.

"Take care, both of you and thank you." I held onto Morrigan's hand, Alfred shaking his tail furiously. She touched the grand mirror and it glowed.

All three of us stepped through.

It was time to go home.

* * *

 **And now Eren's journey has come to a close. Since we have not gotten any sort of adventure dealing with the Hero of Ferelden besides that one letter from them, this might be the last time I will write about Eren...**

 **Thank you all that have stayed with me as I wrote this! This is the end! :D For now. Talen and Derek will come back in my DAI story :3 I hope to see you all there!**


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